This invention relates to a track roller suspension apparatus for a track-type vehicle.
In a conventional system, it is well known to provide track rollers in rolling contact with the inner periphery of a track of a track-type vehicle, such track rollers making up part of an overall vehicle suspension system. In general, such track rollers define channels in their outer peripheries which engage with inwardly protruding portions of the track, so that the track tends to be laterally positioned relative to track rollers as the track moves relative to the track rollers.
An improved track roller suspension apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097, 093, in which track rollers are flexibly or resiliently mounted on a track frame, allowing the loads from the track to be reduced or absorbed efficiently. While the apparatus of the above patent has proved relatively effective in operation, it is to be understood that under certain conditions loads reducing rate of the apparatus is not high enough for flexible mounting.